Cars of Limited Interest to Younger Americans

Why burn gas when you can send a text message?

America's young people just aren't buying cars like they used to.

The share of new cars purchased by those aged 18-34 dropped 30% in the last five years, according to the car shopping web site Edmunds.com.

Some say the economy is mostly to blame—that the young aren't buying because they've been particularly hard hit by the recession.

But others say the trend could be part of larger social shifts.